In the prior art of robotics, devices existing which are to perform either precise or great range of movement reaches, have their primary structures generally built of rollers, bearings, gears and the like. These are precision built devices, and their command controls relate to a three dimensional axis environment which is decoded as a location and sent to each joint of a given appendage as controls in the x, y, and z directions. These devices are by the nature of their need to have three axis control in each of the joints, very high technology devices, requiring fine machining, and milling or casting, and they are likewise of a low tolerance nature. Any heavy loads placed upon the joints of such devices tend to cause eccentric stresses upon the joints. The repair of the prior art devices is equally as demanding in technology, and low tolerance. The devices of the prior art in robotics are very complex and sensitive mechanisms.
The balancing capabilities of the devices of the prior art have been treated as specific to a particular task. As such, most devices which have been devised to perform a limited number of tasks, have balancing abilities only adequate to perform those tasks. When the task is changed substantially, the counter balance devices will also need re-adjusting, and in the prior art this has been treated as a secondary problem requiring retooling or reconfiguring of the entire device. The balance behavior of the prior art objects are only given in relation to the task at hand and have no natural or inherent center of gravity removed from that task, no natural resting balance not dependant on the task, no sense of self or built in center of gravity of preference. They are then slaves of their task and not self seeking in any way.
Devices of the prior art have only a limited ability at locomotion. Many-legged devices exist which move by a rolling gait, radially translating as they go. Other devices have wheels powered by motors and move like a vehicle. Some other devices of the prior art have a stepping-like movement, some even on two legs, but they are very gross in nature and in no way provide for the smooth, graceful bipedal locomotion of man or the quadrapedal movement of other animals. None, for example can easily walk up a flight of stairs, or crawl over rough terrain.
No single device of the prior art used for locomotion and manipulation, can both handle rough terrain and do fine manipulation.
In the prior art, a specific problem, say that of a foot as distinct to the problem of a hand, is treated as a separate design problem, and thereby each new task in which a robotic device is applied, has caused the construction of a new device, substantially different from all previous robotic solutions.